Debt collectors are regulated by the FTC on the federal level. At the state level, attorneys general are typically responsible for enforcing state and federal laws. A few local governments also separately regulate debt collectors. The laws that govern the ARM industry are civil, meaning that liability is almost always monetary. So a state’s attorney general will not file criminal charges against a debt collector accused of violating the law, rather, he/she will sue for damages. Collection laws include federal and state statutes that govern the proper operation of companies and personnel that work in the debt collection industry. The most comprehensive collection law is the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). Other federal laws that collectors must follow include the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the data security requirements of the Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act (GLBA).
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2015 State Collections Regulations Year in Review
21 December 2015
When is a Message a Communication "With" a Third Party? The Debate Rages On
18 December 2015
New Electronic Signature Solution Announced
18 December 2015
CFPB Fines Payday Lender $10M For Debt Collection Practices
17 December 2015
CFPB Issues Bulletin Warning About Risk of In-Person Collections
17 December 2015
Court Rejects “Human Intervention” Argument in TCPA Summary Judgment Motion
16 December 2015
TCPA in Review; 2015 Was a Year of Clarification
15 December 2015
Debt Collection Case Goes to Supreme Court
14 December 2015
Debt Buyer Loses Round Two in FDCPA Class Action Case
11 December 2015
FDCPA Lawsuit Tossed for Failure to Disclose Claim in Bankruptcy Petition
11 December 2015
FTC Staff Attorney Gives Advice to Consumers About Communicating with Debt Collectors
10 December 2015
FTC's Koegel Sends a Message to Creditors: Don't Dismiss the FDCPA
8 December 2015
CFPB Announces Settlement with Massachusetts Collection Agency
8 December 2015
Missouri AG Koster Proposes Reforms to Debt-Collection Practices
4 December 2015
Positive Ruling for Debt Collector in Allegedly Deficient Voice Message Case
3 December 2015
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Finds Prior Express Consent, Grants Summary Judgment to PayPal in TCPA Case
2 December 2015
Massachusetts Collection Law Firms Are Now ‘Debt Collectors’
1 December 2015
Pennsylvania Bill Would Drastically Limit Telephone Calls to Debtors
1 December 2015
Joint Petitioners File Initial Brief in Consolidated Appeal of FCC’s TCPA Order
30 November 2015
Written Procedures A Major Factor in Ruling Against Collector in FDCPA Bona Fide Error Case
30 November 2015